China’s Shanghai Petrochemical runs BD line at full rate

16 January 2012 06:03[Source: ICIS news]

SINGAPORE (ICIS)--?xml:namespace>China’s Shanghai Petrochemical Co (SPC), a subsidiary of Sinopec, is operating its 50,000 tonne/year butadiene (BD) line in Shanghai at full capacity after restarting it on 12 January, a source close to the company said on Monday.

The company shut the line on 15 December 2011 for a turnaround that was expected to take 30 days. The plant was restarted three days earlier than scheduled as the turnaround was completed ahead of schedule, the source added.

The company operates a 70,000 tonne/year BD line at the same site which is running at full rate, the source added.

BD prices may remain firm because of expected strong demand from downstream butadiene rubber (BR) and styrene butadiene rubber (SBR) sectors after the Lunar New Year holiday on 22-28 January, a market player said.